Leaky early Gemmer two tooth

07-10-2018, 04:47 PM

My car is a February '29 Tudor with a Gemmer two tooth steering gear. I believe this is an early version of the two tooth. The free play is not too bad and so I really don't have any plans for a rebuild, plus I have read that the races and bearings are different than the parts currently available that are made for the later models. (Correct me if I am wrong). The question is if there is a relatively easy way to seal the end. It seems to be leaking mostly from the very end and hardly at all around the sector shaft.

Comment

To help seal the sector shaft there is also an O-ring and thin flat washer. Grease the O-ring and slip it on the sector shaft, then the flat washer, then install the steering box through the frame. I've installed a couple of these for customers years ago, and they worked as they should.

Comment

We've found the cork gasket between the housing sections is sometimes missing or deteriorated, etc. Sometimes add a little teflon paste thread sealer on the sector adjustment screw with the washer Mitch shows.

Comment

Back in the 80ts I took a 1/4 inch thick plate bored it to fit the shaft put a chamfer for a O ring. drilled two holes for for the mounting bolts. worked real well.
O rings should have about .008 squeeze grease it good.

Comment

To help seal the sector shaft there is also an O-ring and thin flat washer. Grease the O-ring and slip it on the sector shaft, then the flat washer, then install the steering box through the frame. I've installed a couple of these for customers years ago, and they worked as they should.

So it sounds like this O ring and flat washer are both external to the box? Just remove the box, install the ring and washer to the shaft and bolt back in? I think I can handle that.

Comment

Yes but read George's post #8. He used a plate that he drilled holes instead of a washer. You need something behind the ears of the steering box or it's possible to break the ears off when you tighten it.

Comment

The washer may work, but you need it to be tight to the shaft, plus you need a chamfered to put the right pressure on the O ring. And yes you need to support the ears of the steering box. We used all kinds of O rings in the cylinder manufacturing business.